MX23RW : Saturday, April 27 00:40:53| >> :120:8771:8771:
[monks data]
Leeds logo
Championship
Mar 8, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Bolton logo

1-5

Smith (90')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Mason (45'), Jutkiewicz (52'), Knight (56'), Davies (72'), Moritz (89')

Preview: Leeds United vs. Bolton Wanderers

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship clash between Leeds United and Bolton Wanderers at Elland Road.

Leeds United will need to get back to winning ways when they host Bolton Wanderers on Saturday if they are to get their Championship playoff charge back on track.

A three-match winless streak has stunted the mini-revival Leeds experienced amidst the Brian McDermott saga, leaving them 12th in the table, eight points behind sixth-placed Wigan Athletic.

They do have a game in hand over many of the sides above them, but the Latics are one of the teams who have played the same number of matches, and their form means that the rest of the chasing pack cannot afford many setbacks.

Leeds have only found the net once in their last three outings but still boast the division's top scorer in the shape of Ross McCormack, who has scored 23 of the team's 44 goals this season.

The match will be their first at Elland Road since February 1, when they thrashed Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town 5-1 to end a five-match winless streak at home.

They will have Jack Butland and Connor Wickham available this time round, with the loanees both expected to make their home debuts for the club on Saturday.

Bolton, meanwhile, have hit a spell of good form at the perfect time to drag them away from the immediate threat of relegation.

Convincing back-to-back wins over Watford and Blackburn Rovers made it just one defeat in their last five games, lifting Dougie Freedman's men nine points clear of the relegation zone.

However, Championship survival is by no means guaranteed just yet, as 22nd-placed Charlton Athletic have three games in hand over the five teams directly above them in the table.

A third straight victory for the first time since November could lift the Trotters as high as 16th depending on results elsewhere, and it would also leave them just five points behind their opponents on Saturday.

However, their recent away form has been poor, picking up just one point from their last five games, during which time they have conceded 16 goals.

Stuart Holden suffered another setback in his recovery from a knee injury during the week, so he will remain on the sidelines along with Joe Riley and Marc Tierney.

Recent form

Leeds: DWWLDD

Bolton: LDLDWW

Possible starting lineups

Leeds: Butland; Byram, Pearce, Lees, Warnock; Austin, Murphy; Stewart, McCormack, Kebe; Wickham

Bolton: Bogdan; Ream, Knight, Wheater, Baptiste; Medo, Spearing; Mason, Danns, Davies; Jutkiewicz

Sports Mole says: 2-0


ID:142810: cacheID:142810:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5033:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer prior to kick-off against Man City in their FA Cup third round match on January 4, 2013
Read Next:
Preview: Bolton vs. Blackburn
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
1pm
Bublik
Carballes Baena
10am
Auger-Aliassime
Mannarino
10am
Bautista Agut
Khachanov
10am
Cachin
Tiafoe
10am
De Minaur
Nadal
10am
Dimitrov
Mensik
10am
Jarry
Cobolli
10am
Kecmanovic
Ruud
10am
Kotov
Thompson
10am
Lehecka
Medjedovic
10am
Machac
Shelton
10am
Medvedev
Arnaldi
10am
Monteiro
Tsitsipas
10am
Norrie
Fonseca
10am
Purcell
Korda
10am
Sinner
Sonego
10am
Azarenka
Sorribes Tormo
10am
Annie Fernandez
Jabeur
10am
Gauff
Yastremska
10am
Haddad Maia
Navarro
10am
Keys
Samsonova
10am
Ostapenko
Lourdes Carle
10am
Stephens
Sakkari
10am
Swiatek
Cirstea
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
2Leeds UnitedLeeds45279980413990
3Ipswich TownIpswich432611685533289
4Southampton442591085612484
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4420121267442372
6Norwich CityNorwich442191477611672
7Hull City441912136556969
8Coventry CityCoventry4317121468551363
9Middlesbrough44189176460463
10Preston North EndPreston44189175661-563
11Cardiff CityCardiff44195205061-1162
12Bristol City441611175147459
13Sunderland44168205251156
14Swansea CitySwansea441511185762-556
15Watford441217155958153
16Queens Park RangersQPR451411204557-1253
17Millwall441411194355-1253
18Stoke CityStoke441311204460-1650
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn441310215874-1649
20Plymouth ArgylePlymouth441212205869-1148
21Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds44138233968-2947
22Birmingham CityBirmingham441210224864-1646
23Huddersfield TownHuddersfield44917184774-2744
RRotherham UnitedRotherham44412283285-5324


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!